Two recent military style raids to confiscate Shoshone cattle are meant to intimidate the tribe into accepting money for their land. Elders refuse payment of 15 cents per acre for 26 million acres of stolen land. Others disagree.
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TIME OF USEFUL CONSCIOUSNESS A weekly 29-minute Public Affairs Program On Globalization, Local Resistance and Native Nations Box 410009 / San Francisco, CA 94141 phone 415-861-6962
Who will protect the earth? Western Shoshone land rights In 1992 Federal agents and the Bureau of Land Management, the BLM, seized 420 horses they claimed belonged to the Dann sisters and auctioned them off. The Dann sisters have always said that this is traditional Shoshone land, protected by the Treaty of Ruby Valley, and that they do not recognize the BLM's authority to charge for the use.
By now the BLM demands about $3 million dollars in fees and fines and in the Fall of 2002 they came back, rounded up over 200 cattle and auctioned them off in Reno. The raid in February of 2003 was the most intimidating yet. This time the BLM was accompanied by 40 heavily armed federal agents. They used low flying helicopters to drive the horses from narrow canyons.
The Western Shoshone believe that the two recent spectacular raids are to drive home another point. A Bill is making its way through the Senate right now that essentially would force the Shoshone to accept a one time payment of about $20,000 to each of the enrolled members of the Western Shoshone Nation as compensation for 26 million acres of land taken from them.
The Shoshone have rejected such payment since 1979. The traditional elders say that land can not be bought and sold. A younger generation is tempted by the $20,000. At this point the Shoshone are divided about the money question and the Spring Gathering at Mount Tenabo reflected some of the soul searching and conflicts.
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